Joba Chamberlain to Mariano Rivera: 'Don't ever shush me'

New York Yankees relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain reacts on the mound in the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game at Yankee Stadium. (April 27, 2013) Photo Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

Chamberlain, who scolded Rivera in the dugout in full view of reporters before Saturday night's game with the admonition, "Don't ever shush me," told the media Sunday morning he didn't feel he had anything to apologize for.

Speaking later, however, Rivera said Chamberlain had done just that.

"He apologized," the 43-year-old Rivera said before smiling. "I'm the oldest here. I have to be the brother that has to keep cool and say what I need to say. But it's good. We are good. It's nothing and we move on . . . sometimes we say things we don't mean to say."

The incident occurred Saturday when Rivera -- who saved his 15th game in as many tries in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Royals -- was speaking to reporters about a meeting earlier in the afternoon with some local families who had endured challenging times.

Chamberlain was standing outside the dugout signing autographs and talking, at times loudly, with a group of people in the stands who included some of his family members. Rivera had difficulty hearing reporters' questions and asked Chamberlain to lower his voice. Upon the conclusion of Rivera's interview, Chamberlain rebuked the closer, saying "Don't ever shush me," and repeating it, lest anyone believe he was joking.

Sunday morning, Chamberlain, whose actions shocked more than a few teammates and Yankees staff members, vacillated between contrition and bullishness. "It was my fault," he said.

But the 26-year-old, asked if he felt the need to apologize, answered: "There's no need to apologize. For what?"

Nor did he have any regrets regarding his handling of the situation.

"I wouldn't change it. I wouldn't change anything I do in life," said Chamberlain, who is on the disabled list with an oblique injury and is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton on Tuesday in Toledo. "It happens, it happens. You fess up to it, you talk about it, you laugh and move on. It's not really a story to begin with."

Rivera, meanwhile, actually took the step of apologizing to the media members who witnessed the incident.

"It shouldn't happen," Rivera said. "These are not things that we need to bring in front of you guys or anybody. But it happened. This is done. It's in-house."

And Chamberlain, whom Rivera called "a good kid," used the family analogy, as well.

"It's one of those things you're around somebody, I'm around him more than my family," Chamberlain said. "He's a brother to me. I'm pretty sure everyone's had an argument with their sibling at one time or another."

Mo honored.

Rivera, whose season ended last year May 3 when he tore his right ACL in Kansas City, received a loud ovation during a tribute before the game that included Royals Hall of Famer George Brett. He got a similar ovation before pitching a scoreless ninth for his 15th save of the season and 29th consecutive opportunity versus the Royals.

"It was wonderful," Rivera said of the response. "They saw me last year go down here and see me this year and I think they appreciate that. They made me feel like I was at home. It was great."

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